HarmonyTonic Veterinary Reference Extract

EquiNatural® | Botanical Nutritional Support for Emotional Recovery, Grief Processing & Heart–Nervous System Resilience

Organically grown • Human grade • Not veterinary medicine

1. Important Context for Veterinary Review

Horses experience emotional stress as a whole-body event. Grief, separation, loss of a companion, or abrupt environmental change may dysregulate:

  • limbic system processing
  • amygdala-driven emotional reactivity
  • autonomic nervous system tone
  • cortisol & catecholamine cycling
  • cardiac–emotional rhythm
  • appetite, gut motility, & digestive secretions
  • immune stability


Unlike acute stress, grief and emotional adjustment are slow-burn neuroendocrine processes. Clinical signs may include:

  • withdrawal, dullness, or low mood
  • decreased appetite or engagement
  • herd separation distress
  • reduced resilience to environmental change
  • low energy or unexplained agitation
  • sleep–wake disturbance
  • flattening of affect


HarmonyTonic is not a sedative and not intended to manage acute panic or behavioural dysregulation. It is formulated for the emotional-processing phase, where adaptogenic and nervine support can help restore internal stability. Veterinary oversight is recommended when corticosteroids, CNS-active medications, or immune-suppressants are in use.


Functional Positioning — HarmonyTonic

HarmonyTonic is designed for the emotional-recovery stage (Phase 2) of the EquiNatural behavioural-emotional pathway.


Where StressTonic helps stabilise acute or ongoing hyperarousal, HarmonyTonic supports the slower work of processing grief, adjusting to loss, and restoring emotional equilibrium. Its purpose is to:

  • modulate limbic stress signalling
  • support amygdala-driven emotional recalibration
  • stabilise heart–brain autonomic interplay
  • maintain resilience after emotional shock or loss
  • encourage reconnection, appetite return, and behavioural softening


HarmonyTonic does not aim to suppress emotion. It creates the physiological conditions in which the horse can move through emotional load, rather than being trapped in a maladaptive spiral.


Core Actions

  • Supports adaptive regulation of the limbic system after emotional strain
  • Nourishes cardiac–emotional pathways (TCM “heart–spirit”)
  • Calms sympathetic overdrive and supports parasympathetic tone
  • Enhances emotional resilience through adaptogenic buffering
  • Rebuilds vitality following emotional exhaustion
  • Helps restore appetite, interest, and social engagement


Rationale for Key Components

Adaptogenic Recalibration — Eleutherococcus, Rhodiola, Withania

  • modulate cortisol rhythm
  • support recovery from emotional shock
  • reduce limbic hyper-reactivity

Heart–Emotion Axis — Crataegus, Verbena

  • nourishes cardiac tone & emotional steadiness
  • supports the behavioural expression of grief

Nervous-System Soothing — Melissa, Centella (Hydrocotyle)

  • calms agitation
  • supports neural integration of emotional load

Grounding & Vitality — Reishi (Ganoderma), Urtica

  • prevents post-grief depletion
  • supports immune, energy and metabolic steadiness


2. Product Summary

HarmonyTonic is a botanically grounded, adaptogenic–nervine blend formulated to support:

  • emotional recovery following grief, herd loss, or environmental disruption
  • recalibration of limbic and heart–brain pathways
  • resilience to emotional triggers or loss of routine
  • steady mood, appetite, and engagement
  • nervous system integration after emotional shock


It is used when the horse is no longer acutely stressed but struggling to process and adapt.


3. Clinical Rationale (Nutritional Mechanisms of Action)

Limbic & Amygdala Modulation (Rhodiola, Withania, Eleutherococcus)

  • support adaptive emotional processing
  • influence cortisol cycling and stress-memory pathways
  • reduce hypervigilance and emotional shock patterns

Cardiac–Emotional Tone (Crataegus)

  • supports cardiac rhythm and heart–mind steadiness
  • aligns with TCM concept of “Shen” (emotional spirit)

Nervine Integration (Melissa, Centella, Verbena)

  • soothe overactive neural circuits
  • support cognitive–emotional flexibility
  • reduce behavioural withdrawal or agitation

Immune & Systemic Resilience (Reishi, Urtica)

  • restore energy after emotional exhaustion
  • support immune tone influenced by chronic stress
  • maintain vitality and nutritional balance

HarmonyTonic does not treat behavioural pathology, endocrine disease, or psychiatric conditions.
It provides nutritional adjunct support for emotional transition.


4. Nutritional Indications (Non-Diagnostic)

HarmonyTonic may be considered nutritionally in horses showing:

  • behavioural dullness, sadness, or social withdrawal
  • loss of appetite or reduced engagement after loss of a companion
  • difficulty adapting to new environments or herd changes
  • emotional instability following bereavement
  • disrupted sleep–wake rhythm linked to emotional strain
  • low-grade tension combined with fatigue
  • quiet “shutdown” patterns


Not intended for:

  • acute stress reactivity (→ use StressTonic)
  • event-driven anxiety (→ CalmTonic)
  • panic, bolting, or dangerous behaviours
  • medical depression, endocrine disorders, or neurologic disease


5. Composition

Botanical Safety Preface:
Adaptogenic and nervine herbs influence stress physiology.
Responses vary with workload, temperament, endocrine status, season, and prior emotional load.

Herb Composition

  • Eleutherococcus senticosus
  • Centella asiatica
  • Crataegus oxyacanthoides
  • Melissa officinalis
  • Urtica dioica folia
  • Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi)
  • Rhodiola rosea
  • Verbena officinalis
  • Withania somnifera

6. Herb Micro-Monographs (Technical)

Eleutherococcus senticosus
Adaptogen supporting emotional and physical resilience; moderates stress load and fatigue.

Centella asiatica (Hydrocotyle)
Neurotrophic restorative; supports limbic integration and emotional processing.

Crataegus oxyacanthoides (Hawthorn)
Cardiotonic; supports cardiac tone and emotional steadiness.

Melissa officinalis
Nervine calming herb reducing agitation and over-alertness.

Urtica dioica folia
Nutritive tonic supporting vitality, circulation, and metabolic stability.

Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi)
“Spirit mushroom” with immune–neuroendocrine balancing properties; supports emotional grounding.

Rhodiola rosea
Adaptogen supporting mood stability and cognitive-emotional resilience.

Verbena officinalis
Traditional nervine aiding emotional release and grief processing.

Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha)
Supports calm focus, endocrine steadiness, and emotional grounding.


7. Medication Considerations

Use under veterinary oversight when administering:

Corticosteroids (systemic or inhaled)
→ adaptogens may influence cortisol metabolism.

Immune-suppressants
→ adaptogenic herbs may modulate immune tone.

CNS-active medications, sedatives or anxiolytics
→ nervous-system herbs may contribute mild synergistic effects.

Cardioactive medications
→ Hawthorn may influence vascular tone.


No harmful interactions are known at nutritional levels; considerations relate to endocrine/CNS overlap.


8. Feeding Guidance

Dried Herb Blend
5g per 100kg (25g for a 500kg horse).

Organic Tincture
6ml per 100kg (30ml for a 500kg horse).
Feed earlier in the day to align with natural cortisol rhythm.

Introduce gradually over 3–5 days.

Sensitivity Advisory

Reduce or discontinue if unexpected behavioural or metabolic changes occur.


9. Clinical Considerations

Advisories

  • Designed for emotional recovery, not acute anxiety.
  • Recommended duration: 1–3 months, extendable for chronic grief.
  • Combine with StressTonic (evening) for horses with simultaneous stress + grief patterns.
  • Consider DuoBute or omega-3–rich linseed where prolonged stress fatigue or low-grade inflammation is evident.
  • Support with stable routines, companionship, and low-adrenal environments.

Contraindications

  • Pregnancy/lactation (adaptogenic + hormonally active herbs).
  • Horses on steroid or immune-suppressant medication (seek guidance).
  • Avoid use during acute illness or febrile states.
  • Not for concurrent use with sedative supplements unless advised.


10. Supporting Products

  • StressTonic — acute or ongoing stress regulation
  • CalmTonic — situational or event-triggered anxiety
  • AdrenaVIVE — deeper emotional rebuilding after prolonged stress
  • EquiVita / VitaComplete — nutritional foundation for emotional resilience
  • DuoBute — inflammatory support during prolonged grief-related strain


11. Standard Professional Disclaimer

HarmonyTonic is a botanical, nutritional food supplement for horses. It is not veterinary medicine and does not diagnose, treat, or prevent disease. Veterinary consultation is recommended for horses on concurrent medication or with diagnosed behavioural or endocrine disorders.